The Prince of the Desert
by smarties
Summary: Endymion has spent his life looking for Serenity, the girl in the prophecy, has he finally found her?
1. Chapter 1

"How much farther do we have left to go?" Serena shouted over the roaring wind of the desert. No one answered her question. She guessed that either it had not been heard or no one wanted to answer it. She hoped that it was not the latter, though she could barely hear herself through the thick cloth that covered her face. Serena knew that without this cloth she would have choked, but even with it she could taste the gritty sand in her mouth. The white robe Serena wore to protect her from the hot desert sun felt dirty and musty.  
  
Through the tiny eyeholes, She could faintly make out the image of the three other camels and their riders. Serena hurried her own camel to catch up with the others. She would hate to get lost in this desert storm. The other riders did not seem to notice that she had been lagging behind. It was getting harder to see with the sand flying everywhere.  
  
They continued through, four insignificant riders in the vast spanse of desert. The leader of the riders sat proud atop his camel. The young prince, Endymion, rode with the confidence of someone who had ridden these plains his entire life. Following Endymion was two of his personal guards, Andrew and Greg. Finally, lagging behind was an odd addition to the group, a young girl. The girl, her blonde hair flapping in the wind was the most valuable part of the group; she was the reason for this journey.  
  
(Flashback)  
  
"There have been rumours of a girl with miraculous healing abilities," the advisor remarked, "supposedly she lives among a nomadic tribe."  
  
The prince looked up sharply, "You think it could be her?"  
  
"Well, perhaps, I cannot be sure. Shall I send someone?"  
  
"No, I'll go. This is much too important to be put in the hands of anyone else. If indeed, she is the girl, I want to be the one to bring her back. Make the necessary preparations, we leave tomorrow."  
  
* * *  
  
Could she really be the one? Endymion thought, there have been so many false hopes. Could she be his soul mate? The one who was prophesied to cure his family from deep sleep in which they had fallen?  
  
Long ago, a royal family lived in peace and joy. A family of loving parents and three rambunctious youngsters. Endymion loved his family, until one day, in a split second his life changed. An evil power driven man encased his family in an eternal sleep, leaving the young boy heart-broken and alone. He was alone, but not hopeless, there was a prophesy with told of a lost princess, who could heal his family, and mend his heart.  
  
Endymion lay sleepless, tomorrow; he was going to set off to find this girl.  
  
* * *  
  
REVIEW, tell me what you liked and what you didn't, I don't know whether or not to continue this fic. 


	2. Chapter 2

I once knew I girl who thought she owned Sailor Moon. She is in a mental institution now. I don't know Sailor Moon, nor have I ever tried to feed cheese cake to elephants at the zoo. (Wanna hear something weird? I've never been to the zoo.)  
  
I have no clue where I am going with this, so if you are wondering why the first chapter was so short, it's because I didn't know what to write. *blush *  
  
Chapter 2  
  
The next morning found Endymion riding across the desert, followed by two men. The first was half asleep and mumbling threats under his breath.  
  
"It's bloody… 4 o'clock… I… sleep…need sleep," a disgruntled Andrew muttered from time to time, while rubbing the sleep out of his eyes.  
  
Greg glanced over at his friend and smiled shaking his head before turning back to the maps that marked off their course. Greg knew how important this was to Endymion; his family depended on finding this one girl. Greg himself was not optimistic; he knew the chances of finding this girl were very slim. He never relayed his fears to Endymion; Greg knew hope was the only thing he had.  
  
Endymion continued to ride, ignoring the protests of Andrew. Andrew was his best friend, but even his didn't know how important quest was to him, no one did.  
  
His friends never knew what it was like to have your parents there one day, and not the next. To grow up knowing your parents were gone, but still being able to look at them, and touch them but have to accept they would never be able to do the same for you. His family was so close… yet so far away. He could see them, but they would never respond to his stories, chide him on his antics, smile at him and say they were proud of- Endymion quickly wiped the moisture out of his eyes and sped up his camel. He would find the girl if it was the last thing he did. He would have his family back.  
  
A young girl ran through the tents, weaving in and out of people, her blonde hair blowing after her. Behind her ran an older girl calling, "Serena, Serena, get back here! Serenity!"  
  
The blonde girl stopped suddenly, as if she had been stung. That name had been a sore spot for her. It symbolized a forgotten dream, a forgotten life. The elders of the tribe said they had just found her one day, a babe lying under the precious little shade a tree could offer. The only links to her past were a necklace with a crystal attached to it, and a baby blanket, the name 'Serenity III' embroidered neatly into the corner. Whoever she was, no, who ever she used to be came from a rich family. Though it seemed to the others that Serena had given up looking for her family, she continued to search for a link to her past. The pain of a forgotten past remained with Serenity, even 15 years after she had begun her new life.  
  
"Yes Luna?" Serena asked, masking the pain in her voice with a small smile.  
  
Luna noticed the change in the younger girls attitude and realized her mistake.  
  
"I'm sorry," Luna said softly before continuing, briskly, "You need to finish your chores, don't let me catch without them done."  
  
Serena nodded and turned back the direction she had come, noticeably subdued. Luna watched the retreating figure quietly. She could remember the day Serena was found. Her father had found her one day while he was scouting the area for food. Luna was only five, when her father had brought the little bundle home, announcing it as her little sister. Luna was more of a mentor to Serena that a sister, but she loved her the same. Luna had taken on the responsibility of taking care of Serena innately.  
  
Growing up, Serena was just like all the other kids, but with one difference, she had the power to heal. Luna could remember one day she had hurt her ankle running after Serena.  
  
* * *  
  
"Ha, you can't catch me!" shrieked a young Serena dashing thought crowds.  
  
"Serena! Get back here no-ack!" Luna managed to gasp before falling face first into the dirt. Serena turned, ready to mock Luna, but the smile on her face disappeared, and she made a 180-degree turn upon seeing Luna.  
  
"Luna! Are you okay? I'm sorry," Serena said repentantly.  
  
"I'm fine," Luna reassured the girl, "it's just my ankle. Go and get papa….Serena what are you doing? Go get papa."  
  
Serena had kneeled over Luna's ankle and appeared to be concentrating.  
  
"Serena, what is the matter with you? Go get- how…how did you do that? My ankle, it's fine, it does not hurt at all."  
  
***  
  
That day, the tribe had rejoiced and accepted Serena and her gift fully. Serena had the responsibility of mending the wounded and taking care of the sick. People had been coming from all over to see Serena. Luna and Serena had separated from the tribe and began living in town, so that all the people with aliments could have access to her healing abilities.  
  
Luna looked in the direction that Serena had run, but the young girl had disappeared into the distance.  
  
"Oh Serenity," Luna said softly, even though she loved Serena as a sister, she could not help wondering who she really was.  
  
~~~~~~~~  
  
Well, I guess that's it. I should write more, but it is one o'clock, this should tide you over for now. Oh ya, finals are coming up, so it mat take a while for me to update, but once summer vacation starts I'll be back in full swing, not that I've being writing long enough for anything to be in full swing, but whatever. Ok, thank you for reading, bye bye. (oh remember to review!) 


	3. Chapter 3

Hi! I was going to focus more on my other fic, since everyone seemed to like it better, but I didn't know what to write. So here I am, having gotten inspiration in the dead of night. On with chapter 3! (Is anyone even reading this story? I seem to be getting more reviews for my other one, does that mean I should be working on it? Anyways…)  
  
Ummmm, still don't own Sailor Moon.  
  
Chapter 3  
  
The Prince of the Desert  
  
They had been riding for 2 days before Endymion and his guards had finally reached their destination. A small city located by a trading post. This is where it was rumoured that *she* lived.  
  
Endymion rode tall and proud into the city. The girl was named Serena, according to a man who worked in the market, and she lived at the edge of town with her sister, Luna.  
  
'Sister?' thought Endymion, 'I have never hear anything about a sister.'  
  
Endymion and his entourage made their way through town and eventually arrived at the house.  
  
It was a small mud shack, the wooden door not quite on its hinges. If this girl was really the lost princess, how could she be living in these conditions? A dirt path led Endymion up to the house, and as he approached, a young girl came out.  
  
"Hello stranger, are you looking for the healer? She's right inside, if you will wait, she will be out in a minute," the girl said, without missing a beat.  
  
Shortly, a slim, blue-eyed girl emerged from the hut and made her way over.  
  
"I'm Serena, Luna told me you were here to see me," she softly spoke.  
  
"Umm, yes," Endymion hesitated, "I am Prince Endymion, and am in need of your talents to help my parents."  
  
Endymion decided not to tell her anything else until he was sure that she was the girl he was looking for. If she healed his parents once, and he was sure she was the one, he would tell her everything.  
  
'A prince?' Serena thought to herself, surprised, usually she healed townspeople. She looked at his tanned face and deep blue eyes he was quite a handsome prince.  
  
"Alright," Serena said confidently, "take me to them your highness."  
  
"Well, it is not that simple," Endymion, explained patiently, "My kingdom is a three days ride from here, you must pack your belongings."  
  
Serena was shocked, not only had a prince come to see her, he also wanted her to leave with him. It never occurred her to refuse him, he was a prince, what he said was the law. She looked at his companions; one had blonde hair and looked restless. The other had brown hair and appeared to be studying her. They seemed harmless enough. She looked into the prince's eyes once more, something seemed to be missing, he looked as if he had seem a lot of pain in his life time. Serena made up her mind to perhaps ease some of that pain.  
  
"Okay, let me get my things, your highness," she curtsied and went back into the house. Luna confronted her the second they were out of earshot.  
  
"Serena, how can you go all by yourself? You don't even know these men!" Luna fumed.  
  
"Luna, they need my help, how can I refuse? You know me better than that. Besides, you could come too."  
  
Luna sighed, "Serena, you are right, I do know you well enough to know you would not refuse anyone help. I wish I could go with you, but then we would be leaving the people without a healer. Even though I do not use magic, I can still treat the sick. I give you permission to go Serena, but please, for my sake, be careful."  
  
"Thank you Luna, I'll come back, I promise."  
  
********  
  
The next three days found Serena crossing the desert. The heat was blistering and Endymion seemed to be in such a hurry. No one really spoke, except for Andrew, who periodically broke the silence with an anecdote or a story.  
  
After the fourth day the landscape started to change, Serena was no longer in the desert she had grown up in, but a place filled with colour. Deep greens and fields of violets left Serena in awe. She was so used to the bleached sand and howling winds of the desert, that every tree and every blade of glass was a curiosity for her. The sun still sat in the blue sky, but it too was different. The sky was a vibrant shade of blue, a bit like the blue of Endymion's eyes… Serena blushed and chastised herself for thinking those kinds of thoughts about a prince.  
  
As they stopped for a drink, Serena marvelled at the way water ran with abandon. There was so much of it, and no one was trying to ration it. It ran cool and fresh with a freedom Serena had never seen before. Serena had never drank so much in her life, she couldn't seem to get enough of the live giving substance.  
  
Endymion spoke for the first time in the journey, "It won't be longer now, we should be there before night fall."  
  
Endymion was so quiet, so reserved, Serena mused, and he spoke little and seemed to constantly have something on his mind. Serena scurried after him as he took his newly acquired horse into the forest.  
  
At first Serena was a bit apprehensive about riding a horse, she could ride a camel, but had never seen a horse before, much less ridden one. She quickly found out what the differences were after four failed and embarrassing attempts to do it properly. At last Endymion had walked over and set her on the horse, along with concise directions on the proper way to ride. Serena blushed at having to need help at such a task and worked hard on being able to ride a horse.  
  
"Look over there," Endymion pointed to the horizon, "There's the castle. Come on!"  
  
Serena watched him urged his horse into a gallop and ride across the field. He continued until he was in front of the castle. There he stopped to face her, Serena's breath caught, strands of his black hair were dyed from the last lingering rays of the sunlight. His lapis eyes seemed to be looking right at her. One of Endymion's long arms came up the motion her to him. Some how her horse broke into a trot and she found herself getting closer to the prince. She continued closer to him, not realizing the pretty picture she made, her blonde hair swaying as she rode, the little bit of dirt smudged on her flushed cheeks.  
  
Serena come a respectable distance from him and stopped. She was waiting for him to make the next move, which he did. Getting off his horse, Endymion walked toward her and helped off the horse, his arms about her waist.  
  
"Serena," he said softly, "There is something I need to tell you before we go in there…"  
  
********************  
  
You think this is a good place to stop? *Cackles underneath her breath.*  
  
Now if want me to update quickly, you'll have to review, other wise, this will become one of those things I only do when I get around to it.  
  
Ummm, I still have impending finals, which I should be studying for, but somehow I find myself doing more and more of this.  
  
I'd also like to thank ScorpioNightShadow for being such a loyal reviewer, and everyone else that has ever reviewed my work, thank you! 


	4. Chapter 4

I thought it would be cool to buy Sailor Moon, so I went over there with my $35.68, but unfortunately they threw me out, after, of course laughing at me for 10 minutes. Alas, I don't own Sailor Moon, but I'm working toward it.  
  
Chapter 4 The Prince of the Desert Chapter 2 Smarties Email: Smarties_155@hotmail.com  
  
Last time. Serena come a respectable distance from him and stopped. She was waiting for him to make the next move, which he did. Getting off his horse, Endymion walked toward her and helped off the horse, his arms about her waist.  
  
"Serena," he said softly, "There is something I need to tell you before we go in there."  
  
~ ~** ~~ * *~~ **~ ~** ~ ~** ~ ~** ~ ~** ~~*  
  
"Serena, my parents aren't suffering from some ordinary aliment. A magical curse has brought them to this state. There is." Endymion hesitated; he didn't know what to tell the girl before him, what if she his soul mate, the one who would free his parents? He wasn't even sure he had the right one. "There's a prophecy which says a girl who can free my parents. There is more to it, but this is all that is important right now."  
  
"You think I am this girl?" Serena asked disbelievingly.  
  
"Maybe, it is said she has healing powers and that she. Serena, this girl whom ever she is a princess, one who went missing long ago, but Serena, please we can discuss all this later." Endymion wanted to keep her questions to a minimum, the answers were long, and all he wanted was to see his parents.  
  
Serena was more hesitant than ever, she thought she was going to help a sick king and queen, but now all this business of lost princesses and prophecies had erupted. She was about to ask to be given some time to think, when she got a look at his pleading eyes. He seemed so worried about his parents that she relented.  
  
"Let me see your parents," she said simply.  
  
The hope in his eyes startled Serena, usually he only had a cold stoic look on his face. The hope also scared Serena, she didn't want to be the one to extinguish it. She thought back to the times when there were people she just couldn't save. She hated to let anyone down, especially him.  
  
"You guys ready?" called a faint voice.  
  
Serena turned to see Andrew and Greg in the distance. Endymion at that same moment took his hand off Serena's waist, wondering what he had been doing.  
  
Endymion cleared his throat, and motioned Serena toward the entrance. Serena began to walk through the massive stone gateway.  
  
She marvelled at the size of everything in the castle. She had never experienced luxury like this before. Her eyes strayed toward the figure of Endymion walking at a swift pace before her. She didn't know what to think about him, she hadn't really known him long enough for any type of relationship to be defined. She settled on a feeling of indifference toward the prince, she was neither in love, nor in enmity with him. Serena's eyes watched him once more as she lengthened her strides to match his. One thing that she was sure of was that he was quite handsome.  
  
The pair began to climb a flight of stairs, Endymion wanted to have the girl look at his parents as soon as possible, but he knew it wouldn't be fair to her.  
  
"You can have this room. You must be tired from your long journey. I will send someone to call you for dinner," Endymion said shortly, before turning and walking down the hall.  
  
Serena simply stared at the large wooden door a moment before opening it. Inside the room was large, and exquisitely furnished. She took in the room as she sat on the bed with her small bag of belongings. Carefully she took out the most important objects, a baby blanket, and a necklace. She tucked the blanket underneath the pillow on the bed, and put on the necklace.  
  
'Could I really be the girl?' she speculated as she lay her head in the pillow, 'I'm just a healer with no past. I'm of no importance, it couldn't possible be me, but I will try to heal the king and queen for Endymion's sake. I know what it is like to be without parents, no one should have to suffer in that way.'  
  
Serena knew that Luna and her father were her family. She knew that they loved her, but it just wasn't the same as her own parents. She prayed she had even one memory of them, or of the life she once had. She wished she had an image to hold on to, to comfort her. Did her parents love her? What were they like? Did she have siblings? She would never know, she had a new life, one that she was content with, but the longing for more was always lingering. She just wished.  
  
Serena fell asleep, a single tear trailing down her cheek.  
  
* * * * * * * *  
  
"Miss?"  
  
Serena's blurry vision revealed a young girl hovering over her. She sat up and stretched her arms.  
  
"What time is it?" she asked her voice deep with sleep . "Miss, it's time for you to get dressed for dinner, I've already drawn a bath."  
  
"Thank you very much," she replied yawning. Serena attempted to get out of bed, but fell to the floor in a tangled mess of sheets.  
  
"Miss!"  
  
"I'm fine, don't worry."  
  
Serena finished her bath without any more incidents and came back out into the room. On the bed was the most beautiful dress Serena and ever seen, and by the mirror stood the girl with a hairbrush in her hand.  
  
"What's this?" asked Serena, confused.  
  
"We must get you ready for dinner miss," replied the girl, looking at her a bit oddly.  
  
"Well- I'm sorry, what was your name?"  
  
"Molly, miss," she answered.  
  
"Well Molly, I'm not a princess, I can dress myself, and even though this is a gorgeous dress, I'd rather wear my own, I don't think it is appropriate for the healer to be dress in this finery."  
  
"Miss," Molly began.  
  
"Don't worry about me, I'll be fine. Why don't you go take a break," assured Serena.  
  
After Molly left, Serena reached for her bag and pulled out a blue dress. It was a simple dress, not extremely flattering, but one Luna had made with love. The dress and her crystal were the only things she wore. Serena quickly tied up her hair and was ready to go downstairs. As she glanced in the mirror, Serena saw that she wasn't breath taking beautiful, but was clean and presentable, and that was all that was important to her.  
  
* * * * * * Okay that's all. I know there isn't really any romance yet, but I'm working to it. You'll also notice I didn't use the normal 'unbelievably beautiful' Serena, but I'm working with that too. I would like to try to make her a real person as mush as possible, with emotions, insecurities, and flaws. Let me know what you think! Review! 


End file.
